These projects of the finalists of the first SkinPact Awards of 2015 are just a few examples that show the desire of Dermatologists’ organizations which wish to make a positive difference in skin health in their communities.

1. BUILDING A RESPONSIBLE
DERMATOLOGY COMMUNITY

2. www.galdermaskinpact.org
THESE PROJECTS OF THE FINALISTS OF THE
FIRST SKINPACT AWARDS OF 2015 ARE JUST A
FEW EXAMPLES THAT SHOW THE DESIRE OF
DERMATOLOGISTS’ ORGANIZATIONS WHICH
WISH TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN SKIN
HEALTH IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
The SkinPact Awards strongly support initiatives
by dermatologists. This is our commitment for the
future.

3. www.galdermaskinpact.org
The skin may be different.
The feelings are the same.
In our ambulatories, we are faced with stories
rooted by prejudice, ignorance. Aiming to
destigmatize dermatological diseases, seize the
community of knowledge and reduce the feeling of
exclusion and worthlessness of patients, we will
work in the media – websites, billboards, television,
radio – to explain about skin diseases. The
campaign focuses on meeting people living with
psoriasis, erythroderma, acne and vitiligo with
people without skin diseases, but demonstrating the
same feelings: love, affection, happiness and
sadness. To assess the impact of the intervention,
we will use the Dermatology Life Quality Index
before and six months after the beginning of the
campaigns.

4. www.galdermaskinpact.org
Pilot “bed-to-bench and back”
Research training program for dermatologists
The vast majority of Dermatology teaching
programs do not include basic science training.
Even most of the European PhD programs for
clinicians in Dermatology are designed towards
clinical research projects. Not fully understanding
the cellular and molecular basis of skin disorders
can severely hinder the development of new
effective treatments. The aim of this project is to
establish a Pilot “Bed-to-bench research and back”
training program for doctors with an interest in
dermatology including dermatology residents.
Teaching basic laboratory techniques and their
applications to dermatology research, with both
online lectures and practical sessions, will be the
focus of this project.

5. www.galdermaskinpact.org
Online teaching platform to increase
dermatology knowledge and clinical
reasoning in medical students and family
physicians
Dermatology training is lacking in medical school
and family medicine residency at University of
Montreal. There is also a lack of resources to learn
about skin disorders. Using the script concordance
test theory, our project will create an online bank of
questions around key dermatological concepts in
order to enhance dermatological knowledge and
develop clinical reasoning among medical students
and family physicians.

6. www.galdermaskinpact.org
My SkinBook
Revolutionary and unprecedented software for
future dermatological practice and public education:
The first App to reduce the risk of unexpected
events during clinical follow-ups! The first App to
enhance the dermatologist-patient relationship and
satisfaction! The first App to utilize smart phones
and tablets as useful media for skin condition
recording! The first App to track and follow your skin
status in a photo-based, time-line-framed diary! The
first App to share summarized information including
photos and descriptions with your doctors! The first
App to remind patients and the public of customized
skincare and health information proactively!

7. www.galdermaskinpact.org
Kashmir Vitiligo Foundation for helping the
community in tackling vitiligo more
effectively and in a healthy fashion
The project involves setting up of a ‘vitiligo
foundation’ in Kashmir valley that will work on
following fronts 1. Helping vitiligo patients and their
care-givers in tackling the disease—by organizing
camps where patients and care-takers share their
experiences; by providing free phototherapy
facilities in all major towns and free vitiligo grafting
facilities for needy cases 2. Demystifying vitiligo and
clearing age-old myths in the society regarding it- by
organizing events and school camps; by providing
education about the harmless and non-infective
nature of the disease; clearing doubts about its
correlation with diet etc 3. Doing community-level
clinical research in the field of vitiligo.

8. www.galdermaskinpact.org
Investigation of Sunscreens and
Their Efficacy in Patients with
Lupus Erythematosus (LE)
Ultraviolet light is an important factor in the
pathogenesis of LE. Recent studies demonstrated
that sunscreens prevent the induction of disease
activity; therefore, sunscreens are a safe and cost-
effective preventive option for all patients with the
disease, but data-based recommendations on the
frequency of application and the type of sunscreen
are not yet available. By the means of the existing
EUSCLE register of more than 1000 LE patients
and a remote data-entry and -management system,
we aim to collect data in a pan-European
observational study, including parameters, e.g. type
of sunscreen and its efficacy in the prevention of
skin manifestations.

9. www.galdermaskinpact.org
Black is Beautiful
With the rise of the middle class in the last decade
in Tanzania and a greater amount of disposable
income available, there has been a rise in the
number of people coming into my clinic and wanting
to achieve a lighter skin tone. People will go to any
length and are willing to pay whatever the cost to
obtain a lighter and whiter skin. I have seen many
young women with disfiguring facial and body scars
as a result of using home made skin lightening
creams sold to them by local beauty salons. I would
like to target students in high schools and colleges
in Dar-es-Salaam by running an educational
campaign to promote natural skin colour (Black is
Beautiful) and highlight the dangers of using
unlabelled home made bleaches and other harsh
creams.

10. www.galdermaskinpact.org
Assessing Barriers to Melanoma Screening
Examinations for At-Risk Individuals at a
County Hospital
When patients receive genetic counseling and
testing, they are given medical recommendations
regarding their test results. If an individual tests
positive for a mutation in BRCA1/2, they are at
higher risk to develop cancer, including melanoma.
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network
(NCCN) recommends that BRCA1/2+ patients
receive annual dermatology examinations to
perform early detection of melanoma. Underserved
populations often have difficulty receiving medical
care due to social and economic barriers. This study
aims to explore these barriers by surveying
individuals at a county hospital who have BRCA1/2
mutations about their health behaviors regarding
dermatology examinations.

11. www.galdermaskinpact.org
An instant, Audio-Assisted Secretary for
Patients and Physicians-EB as a example
Although we live in the era of information, a lot of
time people still do not have instant access to user-
oriented, organized and adequate medical
knowledge. Furthermore, an one-click-away
platform that provides patients, physicians and
patients family to interact, communicate, monitor,
and remind to enhance comprehensive physical and
mental health is still remained to be desired.
iAIDigent, a mobile app that provides instant, audio-
assisted e-secretary for bridging patients and
physicians. It has access to user-oriented
information, audio-assisted and therefore with
minimal technical-barrier, facilitates patients/
physician interaction, provides notifications to
enhance compliances, and unite patients together
to provide social support.

12. www.galdermaskinpact.org
A Sun protection tale as a method to create
healthy behaviors in Latin children
Learning processes during childhood are known for
leaving a mark in children that remain for all their
life. Therefore, to strengthen learning processes it is
necessary to make them pleasing and fun. With this
in mind, and knowing that ultraviolet radiation is an
important risk factor for developing skin cancer, it is
worth trying to create consciousness and generate
sun-protection behaviors since childhood, with the
goal of making long-lasting habits. The aim of this
study is to evaluate the impact of a newly designed
tale about sun-protection behaviors in kids of
elementary school in Colombia

13. Visit
www.galdermaskinpact.org